Z 6 on the way

[wolves3012]

The first roll, the first problem. Shutter button is hard to press. No comparison to other Zorkis and Feds..much harder, more like big'n'heavy Zenit E.

First problem - first question: Are you pressing the shutter button? The button between the speed dial and wind-lever is NOT the shutter release, it's the rewind-release! I don't want to offend you here but this is a common mistake so are you using the right button? The shutter release button is in the middle of the frame counter. The rewind release will actually work as a shutter release but it *is* heavy and isn't guaranteed to re-engage each frame.

If you are genuinely using the right button then no, it shouldn't be especially heavy. The Zorki 5 and 6 use a kind of offset shaft to release the shutter, since the button isn't above the true release shaft. As a result, they're a little less smooth and light than other models but it's not a big difference.

 

[moretto]

Heheh Wolves..I'm pressing the right button..most of the time. In 36 exposures, I pressed the rewind release just about 10 times :bang: (guess it is common problem with Z4 and fed4 users). But while excercising the shutter, my finger has little teeth marks..so I guess I'm pressing the shutter.

I have removed the bottom plate and observed what happens..the shutter shaft goes smooth until it reaches the position in which the bottom pin (on the pic) has to slide off the upper pin.. Then it stucks until I press harder, and than it "unstucks"...hard enough to cause the camera shake.
I examined the pins for scratches or dents, but they seem nice and polished.

 

[lubitel]

I don't know what's going on inside the camera, but the release button (the one thats important for making photos) feels very different from FEDs or older Zorkis. It does feel a bit like SLR, also cocking the shutter feels a bit like a Zenit.

 

[leighmarrin]

"The first roll, the first problem. Shutter button is hard to press. No comparison to other Zorkis and Feds..much harder, more like big'n'heavy Zenit E."

I too am running a first roll through a newly acquired Zorki 6. Mine also had an extremely stiff shutter release button. It took a lot of finger pressure, and I could not trip it with a cable release.

Finally figured out that with the shutter uncocked, that when I depressed the shutter button and by twisting it depressed all the way clockwise to the end of its travel, it was quite a bit lighter. But like yours, mine is still heavier than most other 35mm cameras, except for my Zenit B and Zenit E.

A NEAT ZORKI 6 TIP: does it work on yours?

First, put the speed dial on "B". Then set and trip the self-timer, and I get a fairly consistent 9 second exposure! (A little variable; varies about plus or minus one second.)

The Zorki 6 is supposed to have a shutter assembly nearly identical to the Zenit E & B; on my Zenit E the same trick gives an exposure a little less than one second.

--Leigh Marrin in Santa Barbara, Calif.

 

[moretto]

.

A NEAT ZORKI 6 TIP: does it work on yours?

It works on all the cameras I tried, Z6, zenit E, TTL, XP and 122, and also zorki4 and fed 4...do you think that's on purpose, or is it casual byproduct As this varies from 3 to 10 seconds, I'm not sure what to think.

the shutter button has to be winded clockwise, if you press it and wind counterclockwise, it locks for Bulb exp.

Today I shot about 40 shots of efke KB100 (36 exp) on the market, than I became suspicious...shot 5 more.. and than realized that the roll is still home on the fridge, where I put it to warm a little before I put it in the camera.:bang::bang:

That's the price you pay when you're not used to the camera, and still have no feeling for the winding lever.

 

[leighmarrin]

"the shutter button has to be winded clockwise, if you press it and wind counterclockwise, it locks for Bulb exp."

My shutter button was not quite at the end of its clockwise travel, and it took me several weeks to figger out why it was so stiff... glad I did not break down and resort down to hosing it with camera-killing WD-40!

QUOTE: "Today I shot about 40 shots of efke KB100 (36 exp) on the market, than I became suspicious...shot 5 more.. and than realized that the roll is still home on the fridge, where I put it to warm a little before I put it in the camera.:bang::bang:
That's the price you pay when you're not used to the camera, and still have no feeling for the winding lever."

Suggestion: when you first load a roll of 35mm film, always next put some tension on the REWIND KNOB. If you can see the rewind knob revolving when you advance the film, ya know there's film passing the shutter.

 

[oscroft]

And I'm not comparing it to Leica or Yashica... it is hard in comparison to Z4, Fed 3/4, Kiev4.

Yes, same here - it's harder than my other FSU cameras. I keep meaning to try a soft release on it, but haven't got round to to it yet.

 

[moretto]

I really just wanted to hear that this is normal...so I can avoid the CLA.

Finished a test roll of an crappy, cheap, out of date Agfa 400ASA, and developed today. Better to go with colour C41 to avoid the other variables in home processing and scanning, and here is what it looks like. Good enough for me.